ONE FLAG, ONE CROWN, ONE DESTINY. Who Pays the Piper?

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1904, Page 6

ONE FLAG, ONE CROWN, ONE DESTINY. Who Pays the Piper?

THE question was bound to be pointedly put sooner or later For some years past— m fact ever since the Boer war heroics— the colony has been loud m its professions of patriotism It has sung "Soldiers of the King" and "Sons of the Sea" till it got quite hoarse. Kmg Dick has kept it wound right up to concert pitch about the "dear old flag, and all the rest of it And every now and then New Zealand has given her opinion with a strident voice how Imperial policy should be shaped That huge and influential deputation which waited this week upon the British Prime Minister, to express its views on Imperial defence and the duties of the colonies, brings us up with a round turn It shows pretty plainly that, m the estimation of the good folk at Home, we have , been taking a pretty large say m Imperial affairs for our modest £21,000 a year towards the cost of our own defence True, we increased it this year to £40,000 But, when weighed m the balance as against the per capita contribution of the toiling, poorly-fed masses of our kith and km at the seat of Empire, it is a rather paltry dole after all * * * This deputation brings all om colonial talk about Imperial federation to the cold matter-of-fact test, "How much do you feel it «' It asks the practical question Are you prepared to take your fair and equal share* m the burthen of Empire? If not, are we prepared to police our own seas, guard our coasts from foreign aggression, take our destinies into our own hands ? In short, are we prepared to paddle our own canoe ? The question is asked of Canada, of Australia, of New Zealand » * • They are all big boys now John Bull has been paying for them cheerfully enough all along He has listened complacently while they demanded a voice in conducting the family business He was bound to ask sooner 01 later the blunt Question if they would take thenshare of the risks and stump up their fair quota of the exes It is better to face it sooner or later If the Imperial sentiment is worth anything it will stand the appeal to the pocket. * * * Besides, our own self-respect demands that we should not billet ourselves on our relations or take up a dependent position We believe the colonies one and all are prepared to bear their fair share of the burthen of Empire But, they will naturally expect some form of representation m return for then contributions John Bull must give them the right of being consulted about the expenditure Federation has been in the air for a long time . The time isp at hand for another step forward in that direction

The Right lion Mr Balfoui has made a diplomatic reply to the deputation at Home It is couched m language which is caieful to avoid offence to colonial susceptibilities It points directly to another Colonial Conference But, the British Premier wisely refrains from laying down any conditions or suggesting questions for it. Sir Thomas Brassey's reasons for urging the madvisability of submitting the question of Imperial defence to the Conference are very weak Australia's drought, Canada's railway expenditure, South Africa/ s present inability, are mere passing incidents. The real question is fundamental, permanent, and relates to principle as well as expediencv Let us make up our minds to face the music. We must do' our share towards paying the piper if we relish the tune

men would have found an adequate excuse for their testimonial * » » Under the circumstances, Sir Joseph Ward did what anyone knowing him might have been sure he would do He defeated the attempt to pile up the agony against the officers and to make political capital out of the incident, by desiring the discontinuance of the movement This has been done. Many of the railway men will feel disappointed The Minister, however, is fully impressed with the kindly intentions and goodwill that prompted the testimonial If it miscarried through error of judgment, innocently made, no slur lests upon anyone The whole circumstances tend to show how careful one must be in these matters to proceed on lines that will not arouse suspicion or lend themselves to the slightest tinge of coercion